Do you ever feel like the best before or expirationÌýdate is too early?
Depending on which oneÌýit is, it might be.Ìý
While a best before date gives an anticipated amount of time that a food will retain its freshness, it doesn't mean that eating the product after that date will hurt you. However, it might be that it has lost some of its nutritional value, or that the taste is a bit off. As such, a slightly odd taste doesn't necessarily mean trouble.Ìý
So, if you always throw out food that's a day or two past the best before date, you might be wasting money. In fact, studies show that more than 60 per cent of food that Canadians throw away could have been eaten but ended up in the compost orÌýgarbage.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency states thatÌýa best before date does not guarantee product safety. However, itÌýdoes provide information about the freshness and potential shelf-life of the unopened foods you are buying.Ìý
Expiration dates, in contrast,Ìýare requiredÌýon certain foods that have strict compositional and nutritional specifications that might not be met after the specifiedÌýdate. As such, food should not be bought, sold or eaten if the expiration date has passed. It should be thrown away.
Expiration dates must be used on the following products:
- formulated liquid diets (nutritionally complete diets for people using oral or tube feeding methods)
- foods represented for use in a very low-energy diet (foods sold only by a pharmacist and only with a written order from a physician)
- meal replacements (formulated food that, by itself, can replace one or more daily meals)
- nutritional supplements (food sold or represented as a supplement to a diet that may be inadequate in energy and essential nutrients)
- human milk substitutes (infant formula)
What should youÌýdo if you see a product for sale that has passed the expiration date?
You shouldÌýÌýif you want to lodge a complaint about a specific food product that you think does not meet regulatory requirements. This allows an inspector to begin an investigation that is in accordance with the CFIA'sÌýinspection and compliance principles.
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Read the original article here.
